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Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??
by Eric Ball Written on March 11, 2010 For years the running joke in the NFL has been the extensive criminal records of the Cincinnati Bengals. Owner/G.M. Mike Brown has been given the "redeemer" tag on many occasions. He loves to take the high risk/high reward players. He ignores the off-the-field stuff.

But over the past three years, it has been their division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been making the headlines for the wrong reasons.

Let's start with the most obvious.

QB Ben Roethlisberger has been involved in some sort of controversy in three of the past five off-seasons. First it was the reckless driving of a motorcycle without a helmet. How can a guy with the concussion problems of Big Ben not wear one?

Roethlisberger did not have a valid Pennsylvania motorcycle license at the time of the accident, only a temporary permit that he had obtained after moving to Pittsburgh which had expired four months earlier. Roethlisberger would later say in interviews that paramedics on the scene stopped the bleeding in his throat just in time to save his life.

Last July Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting Harrah's casino executive Andrea McNulty, 31, in his hotel room while he was in Lake Tahoe for a celebrity golf tournament. He allegedly called her into his room to fix his T.V. When she determined it was working just fine he blocked her from leaving and began kissing her. According to the lawsuit, McNulty required hospitalization for depression after the alleged attack.

Last week, a 20 year-old female has accused him of sexual assault at a college bar in Milledgeville, Ga. KDKA, the CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh, reported Roethlisberger told police he did not have sexual intercourse with the woman. He said he had contact with the woman and afterward she slipped and fell, injuring her head.

He may be innocent of the two allegations, but either way his reputation has taken a massive hit over the past year. But he seemingly doesn't care, he continues to put himself in situations that turn into a "he said, she said" ordeal. The latest charge could turn into a painfully drawn out case that sucks millions of dollars in court fees and advertising away from Big Ben

I'm sure he will get out of the charges because he has money, and power, but he has certainly lost everyone's respect.

The QB grabs the headlines, but what about other Steeler mishaps?

Santonio Holmes was busted for smoking marijuana mid-season in 2008, not to mention his domestic violence charges in '06 that were later dropped. All was forgiven when he won Super Bowl MVP.

The kicker Jeff Reed is a one man disorderly conduct storm, collecting two separate charges over the past year. One was for destroying a gas station bathroom.

In March 2008, star LB James Harrison was arrested and charged with simple assault and criminal mischief stemming from a domestic altercation with his girlfriend.

Those are just the current players. Check out the rap sheets on former players (not including the infamous Plaxico Burress).

TE Johnathan Dekker was arrested in January 2009 and charged with obstruction of justice. In March 2008, WR Cedrick Wilson is arrested for simple assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct.

In June 2007, a 19 year-old woman accused LB Richard Siegler of spending several months persuading her to become a prostitute, and he took the first $450 she earned. Najeh Davenport was charged with child endangering, domestic violence, and unlawful restraint after a dispute with the mother of his son in October 2007.

All the above players were cut soon after the charges were filed. The Rooney family sends a loud an clear message: Don't get arrested or you will be cut... unless you are a good player. But since their reputation isn't like the Bengals, fans around the country look at each incident and are surprised.

With the Bengals the general consensus is "just another Bengal arrest". Well it's time for that perception to change. The Bengals did have the Rey Maualuga DUI setback, but other than that they have been quiet in the police blotter for the past three years.

In the past thee years, it's the Pittsburgh Steelers that are making the headlines off the field.

Re: Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

If certain Steelers fans would stop making an issue out of the criminals of other teams this may not had come up. Almost every team has players that makes questionable and bad decisions. Whatever happens with other teams players can happen to the Steelers players at any time. What goes around comes around.

Re: Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

I'm sure he will get out of the charges because he has money, and power, but he has certainly lost everyone's respect.

My point proven- even if innocent, people will believe he got off due to money etc, not actual innocence.

Character assassination.

You think every Bengal player that made the news was guilty?

Matthias Askew was charged with resisting arrest, but it was the cop that was out of line. He sued the city and won $500,000. Yet his name was thrown out there as just another Bengal arrest, but I didn't hear anything in the news nationally about when he won the court case...

Re: Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

Originally Posted by BURGH86STEEL

If certain Steelers fans would stop making an issue out of the criminals of other teams this may not had come up. Almost every team has players that makes questionable and bad decisions. Whatever happens with other teams players can happen to the Steelers players at any time. What goes around comes around.

Smart fans don't do that because it will almost always come back to bite them.

It's one of the reasons many people are so upset at recent events. They crowed about the superior "morality" of their team and now they're catching an avalanche of hell from all the folks they shot their collective mouths off to.

I haven't caught any flak from anyone in my life...at work or outside of work. I don't point fingers about this kind of thing so they don't get pointed back at me.

Re: Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

"QB Ben Roethlisberger has been involved in some sort of controversy in three of the past five off-seasons. First it was the reckless driving of a motorcycle without a helmet. How can a guy with the concussion problems of Big Ben not wear one?"

Say what? He didnít have the concussion problems when this happened. They came after the fact. What an idiot.

Re: Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

Originally Posted by stlrz d

Originally Posted by BURGH86STEEL

If certain Steelers fans would stop making an issue out of the criminals of other teams this may not had come up. Almost every team has players that makes questionable and bad decisions. Whatever happens with other teams players can happen to the Steelers players at any time. What goes around comes around.

Smart fans don't do that because it will almost always come back to bite them.

It's one of the reasons many people are so upset at recent events. They crowed about the superior "morality" of their team and now they're catching an avalanche of hell from all the folks they shot their collective mouths off to.

I haven't caught any flak from anyone in my life...at work or outside of work. I don't point fingers about this kind of thing so they don't get pointed back at me.

I hope you didn't spill your coffee as you patted your back...I gather you must be one of the "smart" fans? Your first two paragraphs would have been sufficient...I do agree with that.

Re: Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

Originally Posted by Lebsteel

Originally Posted by stlrz d

Originally Posted by BURGH86STEEL

If certain Steelers fans would stop making an issue out of the criminals of other teams this may not had come up. Almost every team has players that makes questionable and bad decisions. Whatever happens with other teams players can happen to the Steelers players at any time. What goes around comes around.

Smart fans don't do that because it will almost always come back to bite them.

It's one of the reasons many people are so upset at recent events. They crowed about the superior "morality" of their team and now they're catching an avalanche of hell from all the folks they shot their collective mouths off to.

I haven't caught any flak from anyone in my life...at work or outside of work. I don't point fingers about this kind of thing so they don't get pointed back at me.

I hope you didn't spill your coffee as you patted your back...I gather you must be one of the "smart" fans? Your first two paragraphs would have been sufficient...I do agree with that.

By "in my life" I meant the people in my life...not throughout my entire life. Sorry for the confusion.

When I was younger I wasn't one of those smart fans. But I have been for many years now.

Re: Are The Steelers The New Bengals Off The Field??

what the hell is a smart fan? We don't have any control over what a Bungle, Raven or Steeler player does off the field!

A Steeler fan can and should make fun of a bungle player. A steelerfan shouldn't feel so superior or smart that when a steeler player gets in trouble they have to make excuses or wait for the facts when the tables turn.

Anyone who thinks what they do or don't do will effect the reaction of rival fans when a player does something stupid thinks way too much of themselves.

Bell was fishwhacked, and it was obvious. Where there is piss, there is fire. - Moonie